This is my tenth Christmas season in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. Prior to our relocating from north Idaho, Bishop Mathes (our previous bishop) told me that despite the beautiful weather, San Diego is not the easiest place to move into. He gave three reasons, 1) it’s expensive, 2) palm trees are an acquired taste, and 3) it won’t feel like Christmas because of the weather. In Jim’s defense, he also gave reasons why this is the best place in the country. Over the years, I have learned that the Marshall family needs to do intentional Christmas activities so that it “feels like Christmas.” We have developed some good traditions. My favorite traditions are simple – driving around Christmas Tree lane in Chula Vista, good Advent liturgies, the Men of Saint John’s Christmas Party, the Vestry Christmas Party, and watching our favorite Christmas movies with the boys.

I am wondering what activities remind you that Christmas is coming? Since the weather is no indicator of the shift of seasons, what stuff helps you get into the Christmas mood?

We moved from the Pacific Northwest – eastern Washington and north Idaho – where the weather starts to cool down at the end of August. I have trick-or-treated and Ethan has hunted for Easter Eggs in the snow. White Christmases are anticipated. There are no leaves on deciduous trees by Thanksgiving and it is always appropriate to have a fire in the fireplace while enjoying turkey. However, this past SoCal Thanksgiving was epic – we ate our entire Thanksgiving meal outside! It was almost too hot; but, you know, we buckled down and did it. Aunt June was with us from New Jersey for a Thanksgiving feast she will never forget.

Elijah was born in Escondido when we were living in San Marcos. Two years ago, he experienced snow for the first time at my sister-in-law’s cabin. He does not own a scarf nor does he know what a white Christmas is. Thanksgiving outside was no big deal to him. Yesterday he was told to wear pants to school (his default uniform is shorts). Elijah is totally SoCal. He knows Christmas is coming because of our family traditions. The weather is no indicator to him.

This past Sunday, we had the pre-greening tradition of moving the Christmas decorations from storage into the Narthex. Christi and I had been bemoaning, again, about how it doesn’t “feel” like Advent or Christmas. Nevertheless, after bringing up all the boxes, with a whole bunch of faithful volunteers (and one truck), we both sighed and said, “Ah, Christmas…” In my youth, Christmas – specifically the season of Advent – was heralded by a hay ride. We would jump into the back of a truck owned by someone from church, get some hay, and drive around the neighborhood singing carols and shouting, “Merry Christmas!” Neither of my boys can imagine driving around in the back of a truck. Nevertheless, this past Sunday, both boys got to experience the joy of truck-bed-riding when we ferried the Christmas gear from the shed to the Narthex in John Chudacek’s truck. True, it was only in the parking lot, and there was no hay, but, the experience will last a lifetime. The Marshalls now have a new Christmas tradition.

If you are looking to get into the spirit of celebrating the birth of our Savior, stick around after services this Sunday, help green the church and I guarantee you, in your heart you will feel like Christmas is coming. And maybe you can even take a ride in the back of John’s truck.

One of my favorite songs is Do Something by Matthew West. Here is the first verse,

I woke up this morningSaw a world full of trouble now, I thoughtHow’d we ever get so far down, andHow’s it ever gonna turn aroundSo I turned my eyes to HeavenI thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought ofPeople living in povertyChildren sold into slaveryThe thought disgusted meSo, I shook my fist at HeavenSaid, “God, why don’t You do something?”He said, “I did, yeah, I created you.”

As we are still recovering from the shooting in Las Vegas, I am torn asunder by the terrorist attack in New York on people enjoying the day riding their bikes. I am deeply saddened by the suffering in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the losses of life and property in Houston and Florida. Three weeks ago, I found myself reading stories of rescue workers in southern Mexico digging through rubble after a pair of earthquakes measuring 6.1 and a stunning 7.1. Like the singer Matthew West, I too wonder, how is this ever going to turn around?

Are you feeling overwhelmed like me? Edward Everett Hale is quoted with saying, “I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.” This tells me there might be something we can do to help those in need.

On Friday, November 10th, the diocese is gathering for a massive food packaging event. And, we need more help. There will be enough supplies to make 80,000 relief packets that can feed 4-6 people. Each packet has rice, protein, vegetables, vitamins and it tastes good. Each item goes into a pouch that is then sealed and placed in a box. Because this is a grassroots organization, there are no machines that can process the meals. They have raised the funds to purchase all the necessary ingredients – they just need to get mixed correctly and sealed. That is where the faithful in the diocese step in. We can provide the hands that make the packets. Or, more to the point, you can do it. Children, elderly; there is something for everyone. Anyone can help. These packets will be shipped directly to where they are needed most – Puerto Rico and Mexico.

I heard yesterday that there are not enough people signed up to make 80,000 relief packets. This is where Saint John’s can help. We have a carpool list on the counter in the Narthex. The carpool will leave our parking lot at 9 am on Friday. We will return by 2 pm. If you woke up this morning and asked God, “Why don’t you do something,” maybe God is saying to you, “I did – I created you.”

At a recent clergy gathering, this question came up: what movie do you like to watch around Thanksgiving? We could all name our favorite Christmas movies; but Thanksgiving was difficult. Little did I remember that the movie, “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” is about Thanksgiving. But as far as anyone could remember, that was it.

Perhaps the essence of Thanksgiving is hard to capture in film because Thanksgiving is much more than saying thank you once a year and feasting on a big turkey dinner. As Christians, we are to lead lives of saying thanks for all that we receive. We are called to be thankful and prayer-ful at all times and in all places. Thanksgiving is, viewed that way, simply a day when we put it all together. Sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas shopping, we have a day to be thankful. Not merely to say thanks but to actually be thankful. As Christians, it is said that we are to shorten the distance between our eyes and our hearts. Often times, what we see and experience is filtered through the judgmental or insecure part of our brain and if there is anything left, it gets to our heart. Christians are called to shorten the distance between the eyes and the heart by attempting to bypass our judgmental thoughts and move the experience right to the center of our love and gratitude – the heart. On Thanksgiving, it is easy to do that when loved ones are gathered around the same table, when the abundance of food floods our eyes and our noses, when we gather in thanks to the Lord our God. The real work of Thanksgiving is what follows. The rush of Christmas, the flood of traffic, responsibilities, and the overall hectic-ness of the season – it is then that we must pause on the act of Thanksgiving and, through prayers of gratitude, shorten the distance, as noted above, between eyes and hearts. Just like the additional calories I plan on putting on this Thursday, I also plan to add thoughts, memories and feelings of gratitude to use as a resource during the hectic month of December. And, as my waist expands through the season, may the distance between my eyes and heart shorten. May God bless you with gratitude and thanks this year,

I read a story originally aired on WFLA TV in Florida about nine-year-old Jacob Thompson from Portland, Maine. He’s your average kid who likes Minecraft, Legos and Star Wars. His hobbies include photography, singing and telling jokes. And, most of all, he really, really loves penguins. He wasn’t on the news because of his love of penguins, however. Jacob has Stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma. Doctors told his parents in early October that he won’t live until Christmas.

Because of his diagnosis, Jacob’s family decided to “fast-forward” Christmas so he could have one last celebration. For Jacob, at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Maine, this means a lot of snow, a decked-out tree, and of course, a real-life Santa Claus. But before his improvised Christmas celebration takes place next week, Jacob asked for cards from anyone around the world who wanted to share his Christmas spirit. Five days after he announced his wish, he has already received more than 100 cards from people all over the country — and even beyond. His dad said, “He got some cards from this Halloween, and he opened up and saw them and it was like getting a gift. He read it to us and had a big smile his face and his nose scrunched. He was excited to see what people had to say and it just brightened his day.” His stepmom said, “We got over a hundred, and they’re from all over the world. We have some from the Netherlands, from Australia, from Denmark. We’ve heard from all over the world at this point.” They received a card from Antarctica which is interesting because Jacob’s favorite poem, shown below, is Advice from a Penguin.

Along the theme of “do something”, I thought Saint John’s should do something for Jacob. Since we are gifted with prayer and sending prayer blankets, what if we sent Jacob some Christmas cards with our prayers for him and his family.

This Sunday, Judy Butcher is providing two cards for the congregation. After receiving communion please sign the card and say a prayer for Jacob and his family. Judy will mail the cards to Jacob in Maine. It is our simple way of sharing the Spirit of peace and hope during a time of Nativity joy and sadness for Jacob and his family.

I learned of the Texas church shooting after the healing service on Sunday. It did not sit well then and it’s sitting even worse now. Perhaps it is a combined effect of not getting over the Las Vegas shooting, or the truck/bike terrorism on Halloween, or the other shootings. More to the point, this shooting feels more intimate and personal. The evil attack happened in the sanctuary of small-town, small-church worship life. Speaking of intimate, I can’t even talk about the ages of those who were killed because I am concerned that if I start to cry and I’m not going to be able to stop anytime soon.

With the theme of do something, I think we need to do something. This Sunday we are going to remember and thank our veterans. I polled a (small) sample of veterans. The consensus was that instead of having specific prayers for our veterans, they’d like us to pray for America; for the very land and constitution that they vowed to defend and protect. With that in mind, we are having a Vigil for America this Sunday at 8 and 10 am. We did this on July 3rd, 2016. Many felt it was a cleansing for them and gave hope in the face of sadness and despair.

Through our prayers, let us keep America, and all the houses of worship in this great land, to be a safe place of worship, of respect for the dignity of every human being, and where we vow to love our neighbors as ourselves. If you have a friend or family member that is lamenting like me, please be sure to invite them on Sunday. Together, our prayers will do something.